Symphoricarpos plant named ‘Bokrabright’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Symphoricarpos plant named ‘Bokrabright’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; whitish-colored fruits; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Symphoricarpos albuscultivar Bokrabright.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofSymphoricarpos plant, botanically known as Symphoricarpos albus,commercially used as cut stems with fruits, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Bokrabright’.

The new Symphoricarpos is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to develop cut Symphoricarpos cultivars withattractive fruit coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1996 oftwo unidentified proprietary seedling selections, not patented. Thecultivar Bokrabright was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1998as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in acontrolled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Symphoricarpos by terminal cuttingstaken at Boskoop, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Symphoricarpos are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bokrabright’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bokrabright’ as a new. and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching growth habit.

3. Whitish-colored fruits.

4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Symphoricarpos differ from plants of the parentseedling selections primarily in growth habit and fruit coloration.

Plants of the new Symphoricarpos can be compared to plants of theSymphoricarpos cultivar White Hedge, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the newSymphoricarpos differed from plants of the cultivar White Hedge in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plant of the new Symphoricarpos were more upright than plants of thecultivar White Hedge.

2. Plants of the new Symphoricarpos had larger fruits than plants of thecultivar White Hedge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Symphoricarpos, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Symphoricarpos.

The photograph at the top of the first sheet comprises a sideperspective view of a typical plant of ‘Bokrabright’. The photograph atthe bottom of the first sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of‘Bokrabright’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up viewof typical flowers of ‘Bokrabright’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-upview of typical fruits of ‘Bokrabright’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Symphoricarpos has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Boskoop, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nurseryand under commercial production practices. Plants were about two yearsold and pruned annually during the spring. The photographs anddescription were taken during the summer when outdoor day temperaturesranged from 7 to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3 to 16° C.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Symphoricarpos albus cultivar Bokrabright.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Symphoricarposalbus, not patented.

Male parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Symphoricarpos albus,not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 20 days at 20° C.Winter: About 40 days at 12° C.

Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 90 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Freely branching; medium thickness; light brown incolor.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright and outwardly spreading perennial shrub; broadinverted triangle.

Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely branching; dense and bushygrowth habit.

Growth rate.—Plants grow about 15 cm per month during the spring inBoskoop, The Netherlands.

Plant height.—About 120 cm.

Plant width (spread).—About 120 cm.

Quantity of stems per year.—About 15.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internodelength: About 3.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth; glabrous.Color, immature: 143B to 143C. Color, mature: Between N199C and 165A.

Foliage description.—Leaves opposite, simple and generally symmetrical.Length: About 2.7 to 4.8 cm. Width: About 2.3 to 4 cm. Shape: Ovate.Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Developing leaves, mostly entire;fully expanded leaves with shallow lobing. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 141A and 143A. Developingleaves, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 137A.Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 138A. Venation, upper surface:138B. Venation, lower surface: 144A to 144B. Petiole: Length: About 4mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 143B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Single campanulate flowers arranged in terminaland axillary clusters with about 16 flowers per cluster; about 112flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers not fragrant.Flowers not persistent. Flowers face outward to slightly drooping.

Natural flowering season.—Typically July to early September in Boskoop,The Netherlands.

Postproduction longevity.—Cut stems are typically harvested when allflowers have developed fruits. Flowers last about three to five days onthe plant. Postproduction longevity of cut stems with fruits is abouttwo weeks.

Flower cluster height.—About 2.4 cm.

Flower cluster diameter.—About 1.6 cm.

Flower buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape: Orbicular.Color: 59C.

Flowers.—Diameter: About 5 mm. Depth: About 5 mm.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3mm. Shape: Elliptic to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper surface: Pubescent. Texture, lower surface:Glabrous. Color: Developing and fully opened flowers, upper surface: 62Cto 62D; color does not fade with subsequent development. Developing andfully opened flowers, lower surface: 58A.

Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Developingand fully expanded sepals, upper surface: 143C. Developing and fullyexpanded sepals, lower surface: 143B; towards the apex, 178A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation: About45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 143B.

Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation: About30 to 70° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 143A to143B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About five. Anthershape: Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About 1.2 mm. Anther color: 158A.Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantityper flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.5 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.Stigma color: 143A to 143B. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 145D.Ovary color: 143B.

Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening: About 30. Type:Berry. Shape: Spherical. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Initially 145C to 145D, becomingcloser to 157B with development; slightly glossy.

Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About two per fruit. Length: About 4 mm.Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 155D.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Symphoricarpos have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common toSymphoricarpos.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Symphoricarpos have beenobserved to tolerate temperatures ranging from −20 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Symphoricarpos plantnamed ‘Bokrabright’, as illustrated and described.